Obituary

Doral “Dixie” G. Simons, age 92, of Rockford, died Sunday November 13, 2022. Born July 11, 1930, in Decatur, daughter of Charles and Viola (Penner) Oskins. Married to Raymond Walter Conklin from 1946 to 1968; to Dr. Dean Moorman in 1972, who was tragically struck down by a drunk driver; and to DeWayne “Dewey” Simons from 1984 until his death in 1999.

Dixie was already an aunt at birth. Her family moved to Rockford in 1942. She left high school to care for her ill and elderly parents. She returned to school in her 30’s, when her three older children were all in college. She graduated from Rockford College, Cum Laude, in 1970, after graduating with high honors from Rock Valley College, and studying for a year at Warwick University, College of Literature, Coventry, and England.

Dixie taught English at Guilford High School, distinguishing herself as an effective and loving teacher. She was Rockford School District Secondary Teacher of the Year in 1981. She was one of five teachers statewide that year to be honored by the Illinois State Board of Education for Educational Excellence, and a finalist for Illinois Teacher of the Year.

Dixie served in many volunteer capacities for the school district and presented teacher-training workshops locally and at state conventions. After retirement, she was a founder of the Adult Literacy Council, establishing the first Satellite Reading Center where numerous tutors and their students met at the same time under her assistance.

She was a 28-year member of A Classic Chorale since its inception in 1987, and narrated each performance. She also narrated Christian Fellowship Band Concerts for ten years. She was a member of St. Mark Lutheran Church after being a longtime faithful daughter of Bethesda Covenant Church, serving in various capacities for both churches. She also gave Biblical dramatic portrayals and readings at many area churches, and, in her 70’s and 80’s, taught Women’s Bible Study at St. Mark for a number of years.

Dixie believed that providing comfort and cheer and being an expression of God’s love to others, whether it be in visits, phone calls, frequent letters, or gifts of home-cooked foods, were all extremely important ministries. She served on the first Minority Affairs Advisory Committee for the Rockford Register Star, and served as a Director on the Rock Valley College Foundation. She had a life-long love affair with learning, perhaps because education was denied to her in her young years. She tried to communicate to her students her embodied love of learning, and the reality that education is empowerment.

Survivors include: son Dr. Jon (Denise) Conklin, and daughters Cherie Morgan and Lisa Phillips; also, one granddaughter, Dr. Alissa (Dr. Miguel Bermeo) Conklin, and seven grandsons, Chris and William Morgan, Aaron (Tracy) Klugger, Matt (Courtney) Conklin, Scott (Lauren) Conklin, Kevin (Brittney) Conklin and Eric Conklin, 14 great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren; daughter-in-law, Renee Conklin; and several loved and loving nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her parents, three brothers and two sisters, her husband, Dewey Simons, her loved and loving companion, James Stewart, and her son, the Honorable Judge Raymond James Conklin.

Memorial Service will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 16, 2022, at St. Mark Lutheran Church, 675 N. Mulford Rd., Rockford with a visitation from 10:00 - 10:45 AM prior to the service. Family and friends are invited to stay for a luncheon immediately following service, to celebrate her life. Cremation and private burial. Memorials to St. Mark Lutheran Church or Rock Valley Foundation. To send a condolence or share a memory, please visit olsonfh.com.